Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Gary Woodland keep getting sponsor invites. Is Keith Mitchell in the club?

Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, and Gary Woodland continue to receive sponsor exemptions into high-stakes PGA Tour events, despite slipping rankings or inconsistent play. Critics argue that these repeated invites undermine the Tour’s merit-based qualification system.

Keith Mitchell, benefiting from a sponsor exemption at the Truist Championship, sparked conversation as well. Though not officially qualified, he secured the first-round lead and faces scrutiny due to his growing influence on the Player Advisory Council.

While veterans like Fowler and Spieth remain crowd favorites, younger players like Hayden Springer often miss out. The Tour’s meritocracy is being questioned as emotional narratives and star power increasingly influence sponsor picks.